Made in India Tejas better than China-Pak's JF-17 fighter jet: IAF Chief

Indian Air Force (IAF) chief RKS Bhadauria said that the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas was better and more advanced than the JF-17 fighter jets of China and Pakistan.

"Indian aircraft Tejas is far better and advanced than the Chinese and Pakistan joint venture JF-17 fighter," he told ANI, while making comparisons between the two.

The IAF chief made his comments a day after India on Wednesday (January 13) approved a deal worth Rs 48,000 crore to procure 83 Tejas aircrafts for the IAF to boost its domestic aerospace industry.

It is reported that the Cabinet approved 73 LCA Tejas Mk-1A fighter aircrafts and 10 LCA Tejas Mk-1 Trainer aircrafts at Rs 45,696 crore. Along with that, it also approved Design and Development of Infrastructure sanctions at a cost of Rs 1,202 crore. The decision for procurement was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Talking to ANI, the Air Chief said that the 83 indigenous fighter jets to be inducted into the air force would be equipped with weapons like the Astra beyond visual range air to air missiles along with other standoff weapons.

In an answer to a question if these aircrafts would be able to carry out strikes like the one in Balakot, he said, "In terms of strike capability, it will have the capability of a standoff weapon which will be even beyond the capability we used that time."

He called the procurement a big step for military aviation that would set up the entire ecosystem, while also suggesting that it was a boost to the indigenous industry.

"The 83 aircraft will look after four squadrons. The current strength of the two squadron plan of LCA will now increase to six. Essentially the deployment will be frontline," he told ANI about the deployment of these crafts.